Horseshoe Meadow is one of the highest roads of California
Usa, north-america
35.4 km
3,070 m
extreme
Year-round
Horseshoe Meadow is seriously high – we're talking 10,072 feet above sea level! You'll find this sub-alpine beauty tucked away in Inyo County, California, inside the Inyo National Forest. It's up there with some of California's highest roads.
Horseshoe Meadows Road, formerly Route 190, has been fully paved since the 80s, and it's 22 miles of pure driving adrenaline starting from Whitney Portal Road.
Hold on tight, because this road is a beast! You're climbing a super steep mountain, and it's nothing but straight sections linked by crazy hairpin turns. Seriously, this is a white-knuckle experience. It's known as one of the toughest climbs in California, with an average grade of 6.5%. You'll gain altitude super fast, so take it easy if you're not used to the thin air. Switchbacks are constant, so keep your focus. Gear down on the way back, and four-wheel drive definitely helps. Watch out for debris flows — they clear rocks at 4 PM daily, which tells you everything!
Tucked in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, southwest of Lone Pine, it's a no-go in bad weather. The road shuts down from around November to May because of snow.
Allow 45-60 minutes without stops, but honestly, you'll want more time for photos and exploring. Luckily, there are plenty of pull-offs for those perfect shots. Trust me, you won't regret it!
Where is it?
Horseshoe Meadow is one of the highest roads of California is located in Usa (north-america). Coordinates: 42.0213, -104.5091
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 35.4 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,070 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- 42.0213, -104.5091
Related Roads in north-america
extremeConquer the Ultimate Road Trip: Driving Alaska's Remote and Treacherous Dalton Highway
🇺🇸 Usa
# The Dalton Highway: Alaska's Ultimate Road Trip Want to drive one of the most isolated roads on the planet? Welcome to the Dalton Highway, where you'll discover America's last true wilderness—if your vehicle and nerves can handle it. This is the kind of road that separates the casual road trippers from the real adventurers. Built back in 1974 as a supply route for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Dalton (officially Alaska Route 11) stretches 414 miles from just north of Fairbanks to Deadhorse near the Arctic Ocean—roughly the same distance as Washington DC to Boston. Named after engineer James Dalton who oversaw its construction, this mostly gravel road runs parallel to the pipeline and has earned the nickname "the Haul Road" among locals. Only about 109 miles are paved, so expect primitive conditions and be prepared for anything. Here's the reality: this road was designed for massive tractor-trailers, not your average sedan. Those huge trucks are a constant presence (expect 30-50 daily), throwing up clouds of dust and gravel that can zero out your visibility in seconds. Windshield damage is basically guaranteed. Small cars and motorcycles? Highly discouraged. You'll want a pickup, SUV, or high-clearance AWD vehicle with serious suspension. The journey takes you through incredible scenery—dense forest, sprawling tundra, the Yukon River crossing, and the dramatic Brooks Range. Atigun Pass, the highway's highest point at 4,739 feet, offers stunning views but demands respect with grades up to 16%. The landscape has earned some colorful local names for its most notorious sections: "Avalanche Alley," "Oh Shit Corner," and "The Roller Coaster" among them. Now for the sobering part: this is legitimately one of the world's deadliest roads. Crosses mark the spots where drivers have lost their lives. Between the massive potholes, unpredictable Arctic weather, avalanche zones, and virtually zero visibility during dust storms, this highway demands your full attention and respect. **Survival essentials are non-negotiable.** Gas is available at only three spots along the entire route (Coldfoot at Mile 175, Wiseman at Mile 188, and Deadhorse at Mile 414), and those tiny towns have a combined population of about 60 people. There's no cell service—seriously, none—so a CB radio isn't optional, it's mandatory. Most of the road lacks emergency services; the nearest help is at Coldfoot or Deadhorse. Pack extra food, water, spare parts, jumper cables, and a full tank of gas before you leave Fairbanks. Winter temperatures can plummet to -80°F. **When to go:** June through mid-July offers the best conditions with longer daylight hours and milder temperatures (highs around 50-70°F, lows around 35-50°F). The road stays open year-round, but winter transforms it into a white-knuckle challenge. Weather can change on a dime at higher elevations, and avalanches are a real threat in winter. **The rules are simple:** drive with headlights on at all times, give the big rigs plenty of space, keep your speed at 50 mph, and don't underestimate the isolation. This is a road that separates the prepared from the stranded, the experienced from the lost. Some call it the loneliest road on Earth. Others call it the ultimate road trip. One thing's for certain: if you can handle the Dalton Highway, you can handle almost anything.
extremeHighest roads of Canada
🇨🇦 Canada
Canada's a beast of a country, right? Second-biggest in the world, and seriously showing off with those mountains. Head west, and BAM! The Canadian Rockies are all up in Alberta's grill, and British Columbia's hogging the Coast and Columbia ranges. We're talking glaciers older than your grandma, lakes so clear you'll think they're photoshopped, and canyons deep enough to swallow your car (okay, maybe not, but close!). Now, all that wild, untouched beauty means some serious road-building wizardry. We're talking about Canada's highest roads, carving through massive national parks and wilderness areas. Get ready for some epic mountain driving – the kind that'll make you grip the wheel and grin at the same time.
moderateUltimate 4wd destination: Libby Flats
🇺🇸 Usa
Okay, picture this: you're cruising through southern Wyoming, Rocky Mountains all around, and you decide to ditch the pavement for a bit of adventure. That's where Libby Flats comes in! Forest Service Road 336 takes you up to a whopping 10,669 feet above sea level – one of the highest points you can drive to in Wyoming. Now, fair warning: this isn't a Sunday drive in your sedan. We're talking about 1.8 miles of unpaved road that usually isn't clear of snow until late June or even July. A 4x4 isn't just recommended, it's practically a requirement! You'll find the trailhead off the Snowy Range Scenic Byway (Wyoming Highway 130). Plus, being in the Medicine Bow National Forest at that altitude, you should prepare for some serious wind. The scenery? Absolutely stunning. Think wide open vistas and that feeling of being on top of the world. If you're up for a rugged, off-the-beaten-path experience, Libby Flats is calling your name.
hardWhere is Schnebly Hill Road?
🇺🇸 Usa
Located in Coconino County, in the US state of Arizona, Schnebly Hill Road is one of the most well-known and scenic routes in the Sedona area, with twists and turns, steep cliffs, washout areas, and great views from the pull-off spots. Where is Schnebly Hill Road? The road is located to the east of Sedona, in the northern part of Arizona, within the Coconino National Forest. How long is Schnebly Hill Road in Arizona? The road, also known as FS Road 153, is 19.31km (12 miles) long and runs west-east from Road AZ-179 (south of Sedona) to Road Interstate-17. Is Schnebly Hill Road open? The road tops out at 1.986m (6,515ft) above sea level. It is closed in the winter. How long does it take to drive Schnebly Hill Road? The road is pretty scenic. Allow about an hour to drive it at a decent pace. It’s one of the premier drives in Arizona. Along the way, narrow turnouts provide an opportunity for travelers to marvel at the unfolding landscape. Schnebly Hill Vista, at 6,000 feet, overlooks the Verde Valley and Sedona below the summit, Steamboat Rock at the mouth of Oak Creek, and the mineral-rich Mingus Mountains to the west. The views from the back of Sedona are awesome, and the view from the top of the trail can't be beat. The overlook at the top of the road provides one of the most spectacular views in Arizona. It's especially good in the early morning when the sun is at your back, making it worthwhile to get up for sunrise and endure the very rough drive. Is Schnebly Hill Road dangerous? It features some paved parts at the beginning and near the end. In the middle section, it gets really rough with a few turns. The road is dirt, steep, and bumpy. A high-clearance vehicle is required, but four-wheel drive is strongly recommended. The drive is a steep, twisty, unpaved, and wonderfully scenic route that drops more than 2,000 feet from a wooded mesa into the wonderland of Sedona. Most SUVs are not high enough. The road is very bumpy and not meant for average cars. Not for the faint of heart. It’s somewhat like an amusement ride. The road is a rock face in most places with some drop-offs. Sherman Pass in California has lots of twists and turns Smoky Mountain Road is a beautiful exciting drive in Utah Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.